The Affair of the Poisons: Murder, Infanticide, and Satanism at the Court of Louis XIV

by Anne Somerset

  23. Sonnino, p. 144.

  24. Magne, pp. 122–3, 292.

  25. Saint-Maurice I, pp. 374–5.

  26. Sourches V, pp. 248–9; SS (Truc) I, p. 390.

  27. La Bruyère, p. 222; Couton, p. 45; d’Antin, pp. 77–9.

  28. Magne, p. 327; Mossiker, op. cit., pp. 301–2.

  29. Moine, pp. 136, 133.

  30. For a description see Felibien, Les divertissements de Versailles … en l’année 1674, passim.

  31. Quoted Moine, p. 215.

  32. Norton, SSV, p. 261; d’Antin, p. 28.

  33. Clement, Police, p. 407; Sév. IV, p. 168.

  34. Ibid., V, p. 507; ibid., IV, p. 247.

  35. Primi Visconti, p. 132.

  36. Sév. II, pp. 113–14; Saint-Maurice II, p. 35.

  37. Scott-Stevenson I, p. 255; Choisy I, pp. 222–3; Scott-Stevenson I, p. 254.

  38. Voltaire I, p. 345; Couton, p. 74.

  39. Scott-Stevenson II, p. 176; Drevillon, Lire et écrire l’avenir, pp. 238, 236, 238.

  40. Primi Visconti, p. 60.

  41. Ibid., p. 63; Ravaisson V, pp. 342, 345–6, ibid., VI, p. 286; ibid., VII, pp. 8–10.

  42. Primi Visconti, p. 124.

  43. Ibid., p. 20.

  44. Montpensier III, p. 570; Voltaire I, p. 13; Bluche, Vie Quotidienne, p. 68.

  45. Voltaire I, p. 310; Bluche, op. cit., p. 46; SS (Truc) I, p. 42.

  46. Levron in Hatton, Louis XIV and Absolutism, p. 134.

  47. Sourches II, p. 30; La Bruyère, pp. 222, 221.

  48. Ibid., p. 222; quoted Maintenon, Lettres III, p. 253; Primi Visconti, p. 251.

  49. Amiel, p. 44; Voltaire I, p. 337; Saint-Maurice I, p. 169.

  50. Sév. II, p. 331.

  51. Bussy II, pp. 12, 16.

  52. SS (Truc) II, p. 499; Duchêne, p. 112; Saint-Maurice I, p. 131; Mossiker, op. cit., p. 307.

  53. SS Norton II, p. 320; Boiteau II, pp. 421, 416; Bussy V, p. 51.

  54. La Fare, p. 166; Voltaire I, pp. 336–7.

  55. Sourches I, p. 206; Bussy V, p. 52; Boiteau III, p. 345.

  56. Saint-Maurice I, p. 389; Primi Visconti, p. 131.

  57. Ibid., p. 302.

  58. Louis XIV, Oeuvres II, p. 457; Sonnino, p. 29.

  59. Norton, SSV, p. 247; Colbert I, p. 468; Louis XIV, Oeuvres II, p. 457; Primi Visconti, p. 109; Lavallée II, p. 163.

  60. Vallot, pp. 115–16; Primi Visconti, p. 113, SS (Norton) I, p. 307n; Vallot, pp. 130, 125–7.

  61. Ibid., pp. 130, 125.

  62. Ibid., pp. 110, 118.

  63. SS (Norton) I, p. 69.

  64. Sonnino, p. 30; Primi Visconti, p. 33; Choisy I, p. 25; Norton, SSV, p. 247.

  65. Ibid., p. 259; Berwick II, p. 216; Mossiker, Mme de Sévigné, p. 345.

  66. Spanheim, p. 68; Caylus, pp. 90–1; Kroll, p. 237, Norton, SSV, p. 247.

  67. Sonnino, pp. 200–1.

  68. Labatut, p. 112; Sonnino, p. 45; Louis XIV, Oeuvres II, p. 460.

  69. Dunlop, Louis XIV, p. 266.

  70. Primi Visconti, p. 114; Mongredien, Vie Privée, p. 176; Sourches II, p. 25.

  71. Levron in Hatton, p. 151; Sourches I, p. 199; ibid. IV, p. 283; SS (Norton) I, p. 33.

  72. Colbert VI, p. 468; Primi Visconti, p. 31.

  73. SS (Norton) I, p. 277.

  74. Sonnino, p. 30.

  75. SS (Norton) I, p. 283; Levron, Daily Life at Versailles, p. 77; Levron in Hatton, Louis XIV and Absolutism, p. 148.

  76. Louis XIV, Oeuvres II, pp. 460–1; Sonnino, p. 36; Primi Visconti, pp. 58–9.

  77. Voltaire I, p. 378.

  78. Primi Visconti, p. 260; Spanheim, p. 290.

  79. Patin III, p. 619; Sourches I, p. 56; Saint-Maurice I, pp. 506–7; Sourches II, p. 45.

  80. Sonnino, p. 208.

  81. Saint-Maurice I, p. 212; Saint-Germain, Louis XIV Secret, pp. 54–5.

  82. Ibid., pp. 149–50; Sourches III, p. 85; Primi Visconti, pp. 164–5.

  83. Ormesson II, p. 566.

  84. Saint-Maurice II, pp. 525, 505.

  85. Rav. IV, p. 7; Saint-Maurice II, pp. 420–1.

  86. Ormesson II, p. 552.

  87. Amiel, p. 274; Locatelli, p. 177; see also Maintenon, Lettres II, p. 432.

  88. Montpensier IV, p. 455; Saint-Maurice II, p. 5.

  89. Caylus, p. 138; Saint-Maurice I, p. 254; Caylus, pp. 135–6; Norton, SSV, p. 247; Primi Visconti, p. 57.

  90. Magne, p. 330.

  91. Primi Visconti, p. 57.

  92. Lemoine & Lichtenberger, p. 61.

  93. Sév. II, p. 439.

  94. Rav. VI, p. 33.

  95. Brunet I, p. 286; ibid. II, p. 25; Saint-Maurice I, p. 255.

  96. Caylus, pp. 135–6; Bussy II, p. 352.

  97. Primi Visconti, p. 214; Saint-Maurice II, p. 5.

  98. Magne, p. 319; Ormesson II, pp. 274–5; Primi Visconti, pp. 73–4.

  99. Couton, pp. 214–15; Saint-Maurice I, p. 212; ibid. II, p. 111.

  100. Sonnino, pp. 246–7.

  101. Scott-Stevenson I, p. 135; Fénelon, p. 153; Spanheim, p. 88.

  102. Primi Visconti, p. 273.

  103. Krailsheimer, pp. 95, 100.

  104. SS (Norton) II, p. 33.

  105. Ormesson II, pp. 147–8.

  106. Motteville III, pp. 301–2.

  107. Couton, pp. 34, 40.

  108. Guitton I, pp. 75–6; SS (Truc) III, p. 20; Guitton I, p. 81; Bussy IV, pp. 84–5, 82.

  109. Decker, p. 129.

  110. Saint-Maurice I, p. 389.

  3: Sex and the Sun King

  1. Lafayette, Histoire de Madame, pp. 89–90; Primi Visconti, p. 39; Scott-Stevenson II, pp. 208–9; Ormesson II, p. 442; Locatelli, p. 177; Magne, p. 209; Montpensier IV, pp. 394–5.

  2. La Vallière I, pp. 70–1; Magne, p. 266; Lafayette, p. 120.

  3. Ibid., pp. 101, 111.

  4. Motteville III, p. 294.

  5. Ormesson II, p. 69; Colbert VI, p. 463; Ormesson II, p. 463.

  6. Magne, pp. 2–3; Caylus, pp. 39, 41; Lemoine & Lichtenberger, p. 165.

  7. Caylus, p. 51.

  8. Norton, SSV, p. 131.

  9. Primi Visconti, pp. 9–10; Montpensier IV, pp. 32–3; Choisy II, p. 34.

  10. Magne, p. 309.

  11. Primi Visconti, p. 10.

  12. Brunet I, p. 267; Caylus, p. 51; Voltaire I, p. 340; Clement, Mme de Montespan, p. 163; SS (Norton) I, p. 414; Norton, SSV, p. 134.

  13. Clement, Mme de Montespan, pp. 272–3; Petitfils, Mme de Montespan, p. 67; Primi Visconti, p. 246; Montpensier IV, p. 54.

  14. Ibid., pp. 31–2; Saint-Maurice II, pp. 412–13.

  15. Montpensier IV, p. 46.

  16. Scott-Stevenson II, p. 103; Clement, Mme de Montespan, pp. 272–3.

  17. Caylus, pp. 86–7; Lavallée I, pp. 361–2; Rouben, pp. 163–4.

  18. Bussy III, p. 213, ibid., IV, p. 358; Saint-Maurice II, pp. 221–2; Couton, p. 38.

  19. Caylus, pp. 85–6; La Fare, p. 152.

  20. Spanheim, p. 80; Norton, SSV, pp. 131–2; Scott-Stevenson II, p. 158; Montpensier IV, p. 506.

  21. Rav. VI, p. 435.

  22. Montpensier IV, p. 48.

  23. Ibid., p. 52.

  24. Saint-Maurice I, pp. 407, 426.

  25. Norton, SSV, pp. 275, 283–4.

  26. Bussy II, p. 362; Scott-Stevenson I, pp. 208–9.

  27. Lemoine & Lichtenberger, pp. 231, 237, 248.

  28. Scott-Stevenson II, p. 257, Saint-Maurice I, pp. 231–2; Caylus, p. 140.

  29. Clement, Mme de Montespan, p. 266.

  30. Lemoine & Lichtenberger, pp. 265–6; Primi Visconti, p. 10; Lemoine & Lichtenberger, p. 269.

  31. Saint-Maurice I, pp. 231–2.

  32. Saint-Maurice I, p. 300.

  33. Lemoine & Lichtenberger, p. 278.

  34. Patin III, p. 751; Saint-Maurice II, p. 206.

  35. Lavallée II, p. 460; Maintenon, Conseils et Instructions, pp. 43–4.

  36. Lavallée II, p. 73.

  37. Caylus, p. 18; Norton, SSV, p. 272; Aumale I,
p. 51; Sév. II, pp. 514, 464.

  38. Maintenon, op. cit., pp. 43–4.

  39. Saint-Maurice I, p. 226.

  40. Ormesson II, p. 562; Bussy I, p. 343; Sév. II, p. 24.

  41. La Vallière I, pp. 25, 102.

  42. Bussy I, p. 379; Sév. II, pp. 62, 70.

  43. Bussy I, p. 382; Sév. II, p. 62; Bussy I, pp. 386, 382.

  44. Sév. II, p. 84, Saint-Maurice II, p. 32; Montpensier IV, p. 261.

  45. Scott-Stevenson II, p. 211; La Vallière I, p. 52.

  46. Bossuet, Oeuvres XVII, p. 29.

  47. Bussy II, pp. 344–5.

  48. Montpensier IV, p. 337.

  49. Sév. V, pp. 106–7.

  50. La Vallière I, p. 155.

  51. Clement, Mme de Montespan, pp. 365–74.

  52. Ibid., pp. 248–9.

  53. Scott-Stevenson II, p. 257.

  54. Marie I, pp. 4–6.

  55. Ibid., p. 17; Primi Visconti, p. 110; Marie I, p. 24.

  56. Maintenon, Lettres II, pp. 128–9.

  57. Montpensier IV, p. 406.

  58. Bussy III, p. 34; Sév. III, p. 521; Clement, Mme de Montespan, p. 225.

  59. Bossuet XVII, p. 46.

  60. Ibid., p. 45.

  61. Sévigné, ed. Duchêne II, p. 21; Montpensier IV, pp. 439, 455; Maintenon, Lettres II, p. 142n.

  62. Primi Visconti, pp. 112–13.

  63. Sév. III, p. 534.

  64. Ibid., IV, p. 527.

  65. Saint-Maurice I, pp. 256, 342; SS (Norton) I, p. 412; Primi Visconti, pp. 305–6.

  66. Spanheim, pp. 75–6; SS (Truc) I, p. 525.

  67. SS (Norton) II, p. 264.

  68. Sév. V, pp. 56, 82, 49, 82.

  69. Sév. III, p. 295; Primi Visconti, p. 42.

  70. Bussy III, pp. 213, 226; Primi Visconti, pp. 186–7.

  71. Bussy III, pp. 223–4; ibid., IV, p. 32; ibid., III, p. 269.

  72. Sév. V, pp. 170, 175.

  73. Bussy III, p. 283.

  74. Ibid., IV, pp. 21, 43; Sév. VII, p. 96.

  75. Bussy III, pp. 354, 381.

  76. Ibid., IV, p. 45; Clement, Mme de Montespan, p. 97.

  77. Bussy IV, pp. 106–7.

  78. Primi Visconti, pp. 206–7.

  79. Scott-Stevenson II, p. 105; Choisy II, p. 35.

  80. Bussy IV, p. 258; Primi Visconti, p. 208.

  81. Bussy IV, p. 320.

  82. Primi Visconti, p. 208.

  83. Bussy IV, pp. 319, 340.

  84. Ibid., pp. 344–5.

  85. Clement, Mme de Montespan, pp. 250–1.

  86. Bussy IV, pp. 386, 428; Clement, Mme de Montespan, p. 133.

  87. Bussy IV, pp. 344–5; Primi Visconti, p. 241.

  88. Bussy IV, p. 386.

  89. Sophia, pp. 212–13; Bussy IV, p. 469.

  90. Ibid., V, pp. 8, 4, 469, 461.

  91. Ibid., p. 38.

  92. Sév. VI, p. 283.

  93. Ibid., pp. 316–17.

  94. Ibid., p. 347.

  95. Bussy IV, p. 461; Caylus, p. 33; Bussy V, p. 117; Sév. V, pp. 361–2, 365–6.

  96. Bussy V, pp. 107–8.

  97. Ibid., pp. 110–11.

  98. Sév. VI, pp. 510, 534.

  99. Ibid., VII, p. 50.

  100. Bussy V, pp. 110, 116.

  101. Sév. VI, p. 419.

  102. Ibid., p. 445.

  103. Maintenon, Lettres II, p. 207.

  104. Ibid., p. 88.

  105. Ibid., p. 331.

  106. Ibid., pp. 189, 107.

  107. Caylus, pp. 45, 49; Clement, Mme de Montespan, pp. 225–6.

  108. Maintenon, Lettres II, pp. 401–2.

  109. Caylus, p. 45; Maintenon, Lettres II, pp. 401–2; Montpensier IV, p. 451; Clement, Mme de Montespan, pp. 257–9.

  110. Ibid., p. 271; SS (Norton) I, p. 19; Clement, Mme de Montespan, pp. 241–2, 245; Scott-Stevenson I, p. 103.

  111. Maintenon, Lettres II, pp. 91, 180, 270, 87; Sév. IV, pp. 22–3.

  112. Lavallée II, pp. 454–5, 458; Maintenon, Lettres II, p. 93.

  113. Ibid., pp. 109–10, 92; Dangeau III, p. 301n.

  114. Maintenon, Lettres II, pp. 119, 133; Sév. IV, pp. 22–3, 434–5, 534.

  115. Maintenon, Lettres II, p. 180; Sév. V, p.49; Bussy III, p. 269; ibid., IV, p. 109.

  116. Sév. VI, p. 142.

  117. Ibid., pp. 316–17.

  118. Ibid., pp. 322, 348; Bussy V, p. 94; Sév. VI, pp. 348, 438, 475.

  119. Ibid., pp. 475, 511.

  120. Ibid., p. 534.

  121. Choisy I, p. 205; Spanheim, pp. 86–7.

  122. Primi Visconti, p. 268.

  123. Ibid.

  124. Maintenon, Lettres II, pp. 26–7.

  125. Caylus, pp. 135–6; Sév. VII, p. 43; Bussy V, p. 195.

  126. Sév. VII, pp. 77–8.

  127. Lavallée II, p. 458.

  128. Ibid., p. 457; Aumale, pp. 67–8.

  129. Lavallée II, pp. 73–4.

  130. Maintenon, Lettres II, p. 302; Lavallée II, pp. 74–5.

  131. Maintenon, Lettres II, p. 350; Clement, Mme de Montespan, pp. 100, 254–5.

  4: The First Arrests

  1. Rav. VII, p. 150; BA 10359, fo. 98.

  2. Saint-Maurice I, p. 66; Dangeau VII, p. 66; Scott-Stevenson II, p. 48; Rav. VII, p. 143.

  3. Saint-Maurice II, p. 32; La Fare, p. 209.

  4. Rav. IV, p. 285.

  5. Stead, p. 16.

  6. Ibid., p. 15.

  7. Bernard, p. 41.

  8. Ibid., p. 162; Primi Visconti, p. 154.

  9. Clement, Trois Drames, pp. 264–5.

  10. SS (Truc) I, p. 364.

  11. Saint-Simon, ed. A. de Boislisle (1884) IV, p. 12; Saint-Germain, La Reynie, p. 21; Sourches I, p. 343; Saint-Germain, La Reynie, p. 21.

  12. Rav. IV, p. 287.

  13. Ibid., V, pp. 180–1n.

  14. Ibid., IV, p. 325.

  15. Ibid., p. 406.

  16. Ibid., p. 431.

  17. Ibid., p. 432.

  18. Ibid., p. 451.

  19. Ibid., pp. 464–5.

  20. Ibid., V, p. 37.

  21. Ibid., pp. 8–9.

  22. Ricotti VI, p. 234.

  23. Rav. V, p. 129.

  24. Ibid., pp. 107, 109, 485.

  25. Thomas, p. 271; Marshall, pp. 304–5; Nicholl, pp. 3–4.

  26. Thomas, p. 270; Segur, Tapissier, p. 11; King, p. 27; Levron in Hatton, p. 151; SS (Norton) II, p. 114; Amiel, p. 283.

  27. Rav. V, pp. 157–8; Primi Visconti, p. 298.

  28. Rav. V, p. 252.

  29. Ibid., pp. 170, 399, 440; AN 1127, fo. 85; Rav. VI, p. 184.

  30. Ibid., V, p. 412.

  31. Ibid., VI, p. 340; ibid., VII, p. 153.

  32. Ibid., V, p. 241.

  33. Ibid., p. 220.

  34. Ibid., VI, pp. 59, 388.

  35. Ibid., V, pp. 270, 280, 443.

  36. Ibid., p. 312.

  37. Ibid., pp. 373, 443, 445; Nass, pp. 154–5; AN 1127, fo. 85.

  38. Colbert VI, p. 407.

  39. BN Mss Français 7608, fos. 321–3.

  40. Drevillon, Lire et écrire l’avenir, pp. 62, 66.

  41. Ibid., pp. 23–4, 34.

  42. Ibid., p. 44.

  43. Ibid., pp. 94–5.

  44. Soman III, p. 404.

  45. Mandrou, Magistrats et Sorciers, p. 452.

  46. Kroll, p. 197; Mandrou, op. cit., p. 361.

  47. Bussy V, p. 65.

  48. Bossuet V, pp. 444, 452.

  49. See Norton SSV, p. 252, Primi Visconti, p. 241.

  50. Sév. V, p. 226; Forster, p. 174.

  51. Briggs, Communities of Belief, pp. 34–6; Pirot I, p. 113.

  52. Amiel, p. 381.

  53. Rav. V, pp. 169, 178.

  54. Ibid., VII, p. 152; ibid., V, p. 182; Colbert VI, p. 423.

  55. Ibid., p. 55.

  56. Rav. V, p. 179.

  57. Ibid., pp. 178–93.

  58. Ibid., pp. 193, 197–200.

  5: La Voisin

  1. Rav. V, p. 205.
>
  2. Ibid., pp. 229–32.

  3. Ibid., pp. 299, 293.

  4. La Fare, p. 150; Primi Visconti, p. 283.

  5. Rav. V, p. 348.

  6. Bussy IV, p. 335; Rav. V, pp. 339–40.

  7. Catalogue Général des Manuscrits des Bibliothèques Publiques de France, IX, p. 47.

  8. Rav. V, pp. 235, 248, 250, 248.

  9. Ibid., pp. 258, 278.

  10. Ibid., pp. 407–9, 380.

  11. Ibid., p. 502; Primi Visconti, p. 285; Rav. V, pp. 319, 299; ibid., VI, p. 39.

  12. For her drunken indiscretions see Rav. VI, p. 79; Primi Visconti, p. 290.

  13. Rav. V, p. 381.

  14. Ibid., VI, p. 26.

  15. Ibid., pp. 31, 37.

  16. Ibid., V, p. 489; ibid., VI, pp. 12, 28.

  17. Ibid., V, pp. 257–67.

  18. Ibid., pp. 267–74.

  19. Ibid., pp. 276–82.

  20. Ibid., p. 318.

  21. Ibid., pp. 295, 360–1.

  22. Ibid., pp. 470, 336, 305.

  23. Ibid., pp. 314, 316.

  24. Ibid., VI, p. 2; ibid., V, pp. 308, 336.

  25. Ibid., p. 278.

  26. Ibid., p. 338.

  27. Ibid., pp. 284–5.

  28. Ibid., p. 335; Bussy IV, p. 353.

  29. Ibid., pp. 358–9.

  30. Ibid., pp. 348, 354.

  31. Rav. V, pp. 360–1.

  32. Patin III, pp. 225–6; Maintenon, Conseils et Instructions I, p. 113.

  33. Patin III, pp. 225–6; Primi Visconti, p. 298.

  34. Rav. V, pp. 327–8, 354.

  35. Ibid., p. 379.

  36. Primi Visconti, p. 298; Rav. V, pp. 444, 331–3, 379, 324, 426.

  37. Ibid., pp. 246, 403, 472, 433.

  38. Ibid., pp. 348, 297–8, 414, 411, 291.

  39. Nass, pp. 154–5; Rav. V, pp. 425, 443–4.

  40. Ibid., pp. 425, 440, 474, 448.

  41. Ibid., pp. 443–4.

  42. Ibid., pp. 413, 407.

  43. AN Mss 1127, fo. 75; Rav. V, p. 387.

  44. Ibid., VII, p. 176.

  45. Ibid., V, p. 386.

  46. Ibid., pp. 393, 411.

  47. BN Collection Clairambault 986, fo. 209.

  6: The Magician Lesage

  1. Rav. V, pp. 468–74.

  2. Ibid., pp. 479–81.

  3. Ibid., p. 477.

  4. Ibid., p. 242.

  5. Ibid., p. 219.

  6. Ibid., IV, pp. 11–13, 32.

  7. Ibid., p. 15.

  8. Clement, Police, p. 234; Mettam, Government and Society, p. 154.

  9. Petitfils, L’Affaire des Poisons, p. 60.

  10. Rav. VI, p. 84; ibid., V, pp. 373, 315.

  11. Ibid., pp. 373, 437, 386, 378, 293.

  12. Ibid., VI, pp. 57, 21–2; ibid., V, pp. 496–7; ibid., VI, p. 59.

  13. Ibid., V, pp. 455–6, 407–9.

  14. Ibid., pp. 377–8.

  15. Ibid., VI, p. 172.

  16. Ibid., pp. 21–2, 76.

  17. Ibid., pp. 21–2, 84, 33.